The Future of BC Wine
The harvest has begun in wine regions north of the equator. A time to roll up sleeves and do the work. Growing grape vines and making wines even in the most ideal of conditions is challenging enough. BC has had a tough go in recent years, with pandemic-related labour shortages and gathering restrictions, wildfires of increasing intensity and duration, and severe cold snaps causing catastrophic crop losses in 2 consecutive seasons.
The industry will bounce back stronger than ever, I’m sure. Far be it from me to come up with a silver bullet solution. But beyond ‘just’ keeping up with consumer trends, the writing is on the wall for an approach focusing on two particular grape varieties which could simultaneously secure dependable harvests through cold weather events, and contribute to a solid BC wine identity.
A Canadian cygnet
Looking to our future may involve revisiting our past. Could a humble French hybrid variety be the answer? You may scoff, but the experts aren’t. If the variety Maréchal Foch doesn’t sound familiar to you, you’re not alone. It lacks all charm in the wine business but may very well have an important role yet to play in our province’s viticultural future. As a matter of fact, it was one of the hybrid varieties first planted in the Okanagan in the mid 20th century. The quality of wines at that time was poor, so the government paid wineries in the ‘80s to pull out the vines and replant vinifera varieties (grapes we all know like Merlot, Chardonnay, etc.), and we’ve never looked back. Still, Maréchal Foch has held on through the decades. Could it be a swan in the making? It actually ranks a respectable 8th in acreage for red wine grapes, and for regions outside of the Okanagan and Similkameen it makes up a significant portion of total production. The reason is that it is hardy. It can fully ripen during our warm summers, and withstand frost better than Vitis vinifera. It is also resistant to fungal diseases, a blessing for our wetter regions like the Shushwap and Vancouver Island.
Photo credit: Wines of BC (Shuswap, British Columbia)
Despite all this, Foch is pretty widely ignored - ostracized, even - in favour of more popular ‘international’ varieties. Truth be told it can make drab, lifeless wines. But it can also excel, and one of my personal top 10 wines I tasted last year was a Maréchal Foch from the Thompson Valley. If you own a winery, it just makes sense to plant and cultivate the in-demand varieties in the more favourable locations, and grow things like Foch where other grapes won’t perform as well. But what if Foch were given a chance in the prime sites? In place of cold-damaged Syrah vines that have been pulled from the ground, would anyone dare to try growing Foch?
The wines can sometimes be made in a light and fruity style (don’t go by colour alone - the inside of Maréchal Foch grapes are also pigmented and therefore add more colour to the wine). Others possess voluptuous black fruit, meaty texture and earthy, wild character. It can contribute deep colour and fruitiness to a blend, or be made into a varietal wine. If you haven’t tried a Maréchal Foch, you’re right where you should be - poised to discover and explore our local wines one bottle at a time. Further evidence for the quality of BC Foch can be found looking at national wine awards. The All Canadian Wine Championships has a category strictly for this variety, and in 2024, BC swept all 4 medal categories!
Our Sleeping Giant
Keeping up with evolving consumer preferences is a major factor in the long term success of the wine industry at all scales. Varietals in vogue - Gamay Noir or Grüner Veltliner come to mind - have their place. But the next potential torchbearer for the future of BC wine has more to offer. It just so happens that here in BC, three independent realities are converging in a most positive direction.
Our affinity for quality single-varietal wines made from Cabernet Franc is on the rise
Among Vitis vinifera vines, Cabernet Franc is particularly cold hardy
BC produces Cabernet Franc exceptionally well
If we accept these premises, then we are led to a clear conclusion: one (not the) way forward for BC wine to continue to prosper is to further develop our production of high quality Cabernet Franc. It’s delicious, people are wanting more, and it can better survive cold winter conditions. In fact since 2008, Cabernet Franc acreage has increased more than any other variety in BC - a whopping 58.4%. So you could say we are already well underway with this initiative. An exciting category to watch for sure, based on our performance in recent wine competitions: eight Gold for BC Cabernet Franc from WineAlign 2023 (Ontario stole the show at WineAlign this year, leaving us with just one Gold), and three Gold at the 2024 All Canadian Wine Championships. The awakening has begun…
So what are Cab Francs like, and what sets them apart in BC? It’s generally a cooler climate grape (hence its greater resilience to colder temperatures) but can produce quite variable wines depending on soil, exposure, elevation, and warmth. It ripens more reliably than its offspring Cabernet Sauvignon, thus its use in Bordeaux blends. Wines range from light and elegant to very extracted and robust. From crunchy and fruit-forward, to rich and savoury. BC wines tend towards fuller bodied with ripe fruit and tannin, especially those coming out of the Skaha Bench, Oliver, Osoyoos, and Similkameen.
Here are some fine representatives for BC Cab Franc and Maréchal Foch, which were provided on request.
Larch Hills 2020 Marechal Foch ($16.74)
It’s about time Shushwap wines are featured here. All estate grown and bottled, this Foch is lighter at 11.2% abv and also the lowest retail price of the lot at an astonishing $16.74. How is that even possible?? The aromatic profile is incredible - red plum and sour cherry, blackberry, stewed strawberries, hibiscus, rose, game, resin, and sweet potpourri. Any less acidity on the palate and it would be flabby, but there’s just enough, along with gracile tannins, to assemble a very approachable structure. To me it’s very much like a Touriga Nacional but with the acid and tannin toned down. Or rather, Touriga tastes like Foch but with structural components dialed up. Either way, approachability is a great asset for this wine - as well as the price! Rarely - even from Chile, Spain, or Portugal (on our shelves) - can you find a regional appellation wine at this price point with this aromatic intensity and depth of flavour. There is a hint of Brettanomyces here as well which, intentional or not, will have its proponents and detractors.
Larch Hills 2021 Reserve Marechal Foch ($21.19)
The Reserve Foch comes from old vines and undergoes a separate and longer aging process. They’re completely different wines, it’s remarkable. More oxidation is evident here with a deep garnet colour. No less intense on the nose, exploding with black plum, black cherry, blackberry, violets, black pepper, game, earth, coffee, cedar, and vanilla. There is more tannin present than the Foch and they are well mannered. Still, the wild character typical of this variety has been focused here. Foxy it is not. Although if you look hard enough for something, you’re bound to find it. Less rough and more streamlined, but likewise with the other Foch, the finish is long and fruity. As a comparison, I would say if you’re into fuller bodied California Pinot Noir (complex but easy drinking, rich fruit, low tannin), this Reserve Foch could absolutely be your new BC go-to.
Fort Berens 2021 Cabernet Franc ($32.99)
A larger production of BC VQA at 1000 cases. Cold maceration for two days prior to fermentation gives a head start on extraction of flavour and colour from the skins. Fermentation included pump overs and once complete, further maceration was performed to again maximize extraction. Maturation was carried out over 15 months in entirely French oak - 5% new, 32% 2nd/3rd fill, and the remainder neutral oak. This wine won a silver medal at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition this year. Silky smooth and ready to rock. Medium bodied and complex but not too much for casual enjoyment. A smoky cedar thread ties together red currant, stewed strawberries, and dried wild blueberries on a chocolate graham cracker crust. Just the faintest whisper of classic green pepper herbaceousness rounds out the profile. Fresh acidity and linen-like texture are deftly conjured and justify the price tag. In 5 adjectives: soft, juicy, fruity, luscious, and embracing.
Bordertown 2020 Cabernet Franc ($25)
If it’s a contender for flagship varietal of the south Okanagan, then Cab Franc’s flagship producer is very likely Bordertown in Osoyoos. This is 100% estate grown, French oak aged for 12-18 months and a whopping 5000 cases (almost) were produced. Straight forward winemaking fully expresses the ripe Osoyoos fruit. Awards include bronze at WineAlign 2023 and gold at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition 2023. I would give another award of my own - ripest Cab Franc in the land. The dizzying concentration of fruit is something you’d expect from confectionery, not dry table wine. Yet dry it is, and the presentation of red berries, bramble, cherry cola, and vanilla are nostalgically reminiscent of a handful of swedish berries and cherry blasters. Tannins are glassy and gregarious, and their balance with acidity and fruit sustaaaaaiiiiin through the finish.
As fate would have it, an important hybrid grape variety in early BC wine history is well positioned to play a role once again in our future. With plantings (and quality) of Cabernet Franc in this province continuing upward, it is becoming a strong candidate for a long-lasting and resilient wine identity. Surely many winemakers would argue that diversification is the best long term strategy, and I’m not advocating against that. My point is simply that in the broader scope, Cabernet Franc and Maréchal Foch could potentially have a bigger part to play in the BC wine scene, should we choose to embrace them. With wines like the ones featured here, it will be an easy task.
This blog post was written by our contributor: Matt Tinney.